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Find out more about SSE

SSE’s purpose is to responsibly provide the energy and related services needed now and in the future. It aims to be a leading provider of energy and related services in a low-carbon world. Its strategy is to create value for shareholders and society from developing, owning and operating energy and related infrastructure and services in a sustainable way. These are the four pillars of the SSE strategy. Delivery of this strategy is dependent on the shared talent, skills and values of people throughout SSE.

At a glance

Creating value for shareholders and society

SSE’s vision is to be a leading energy provider in a low-carbon world. To achieve this we have set four fundamental goals for 2030 which put sustainability at heart of SSE’s business strategy. These goals aren’t just important to SSE, they matter to everyone – that’s why they are directly linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Find out more about how we are building a better world of energy for the future in this section of the website.

At a glance

Investing in Communities

SSE is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work. We understand we must contribute positively to this society by being an active contributor to the communities that we are part of.

This section of our website provides examples and case studies of how we serve the communities we operate in.

At a glance

Our strategy

SSE's strategy is to deliver the efficient operation of, and investment in, a balanced range of economically-regulated and market-based businesses in energy production, storage, transmission, distribution, supply and related services in the energy markets in Great Britain and Ireland.

The road to a low carbon future

The energy industry continues to go through a period of rapid transformation, from the huge growth in renewable electricity generation to the move to local, flexible grids to unlock the value of new technologies such as electric vehicles, micro generation and battery storage.

To help meet the UK’s ambitious climate change targets, industries and communities must rapidly transform to develop alternative, greener sources of heat, power and transport.

And as the distribution network operator for the north of Scotland and central southern England, it’s our job to ensure the transition to a low carbon world is as smooth as it possibly can be.

One of the most prominent challenges we’re embracing is the shift to decarbonise transport, and for us at SSEN, understanding and managing the impact of Electric Vehicles (EVs) and other low carbon technologies is now a vital aspect of how we operate and invest in our electricity networks.

We need to understand the impact this extra demand may have on our infrastructure, finding flexible solutions to ensure the move to the new, and exciting, low carbon world is seamless. This means finding innovative ways to accommodate the extra demand EVs will place on the system, and avoid the need for costly new infrastructure which ultimately impacts on customer bills.

Our My Electric Avenue project was recently recognised for its exceptional performance by the energy regulator, Ofgem, who deemed it as being of ‘huge benefit to GB electricity customers’ and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) noting the project ‘helped give the Government confidence to push ahead with the wide scale electrification of transport’. The project artificially created streets of the future, with ‘clusters’, or groups, of EV users to help us understand the impact this extra demand would have on our networks, enabling us to trial smart technology which allowed us to monitor and manage demand.

Alongside this, our Smart EV project is looking at is looking at creating a standard for how a charger can be adjusted when it’s on to avoid network overloads and address any sharp increases in electricity demand.

By working closely with industry partners and the EV supply chain to develop managed charging solutions, we can help develop the flexible and low carbon electricity network which works for GB electricity customers.

At a local level, we are working with local authorities in the rollout of EV charging infrastructure, supporting efforts to tackle air pollution in our towns and cities. SSEN and Dundee City Council have created several charging hubs featuring solar canopies and the ability to integrate battery storage in the future. And in Oxford, the ‘Go Ultra Low Oxford’ project trials innovative on-street chargers to help advance the electrification of transport for residents.

The Scottish Government has introduced an ambitious target to eradicate the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2032, eight years earlier than the UK wide target. One of their key projects is the creation of the first EV superhighway, the Electric A9, which runs through much of our distribution patch, from the Scottish central belt and north to Inverness. We’re supporting Transport Scotland with this exemplar project and look forward to its development and similar schemes across the country.

Similarly, The North East 250 route aims to have enough EV charge points to enable visitors to enjoy up to 41 visitor attractions along the road trip route including 13 distilleries, 11 castles and 7 museums while their vehicle charges, benefitting businesses and EV users alike. We’ll be implementing a feasibility study later this year to help understand the requirements of each registered location to make this electric aim a reality.

The world we live in is changing, our needs, expectations and behaviours as consumers are evolving; and it’s up to us as network operators to ensure we’re ready to play our part in the vital transition to a clean, green, low carbon world.